Submarine vessel.



A. J. GRIFFIN.

` SUBMARINE VESSEL.

APPLITION FILED JULY 29,1905.

.yy /Y Patented May 24, 1910 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. J. GRIFFIN.

SUBMARINB VESSEL.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29.1905.

958,742. r Patented May 24, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY J'. GRIFFIN, OF NEW YORK N. Y.

SUBMARINE VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 24, 1910.

Application filed July 29, 1965, Serial No. 271,725.

in Submarine Vessels, of which the follow-lv ingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improved form of submarine vessel, and has for its object to provide the same with a detachable buoyant safety chamber, which may be used as a conning-tower, or may be distinct therefrom. In case of accident to the submarine vessel, such as failure to rise to the surface, or the like, the crew of the vessel will enter the safety chamber, which is thereupon released from the vessel proper, and being buoyant, will rise to the surface.l To accomplish these results, I provide special means for releasing the Ysafety-chamber from' the hull of the vessel. y A

My invention further consists in the novel details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts which will hereinafter be described and claimed.

A practicable embodiment of my invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings,

v forming part of this specification, wherein- FlgureV 1 1s a vertical cross-section of my improved submarine vessel, the section being taken on a line b-b in Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof, taken on a line a-a in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail view lof the end -of the latches and of the catch; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the safety-chamber hatchlocking means; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking device for ,the pinion; Fig. 6 is a modified form oflatch-operating means; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the connection between the pinion spindle and pinion-operating shaft; and Fig. 8 xis an enlarged detail view of an oar-lock attached to the upper portion of the safety-chamber.

Similar characters of Vreference are intended to indicate corresponding parts in the several views. v

Referring to the drawings, and at this time particularly to Fig. 1, thefnumeral 1 indicates the hull of a submarinevessel, and 2 indicates, as a whole, my im roved releasable turret andI safety-cham r. kSaid chamber iscom osed of an inner shell 3 and an outer slrfell 4. Between said ltwo shells a space 5 is left, which is divided into water-tight compartments by bulkheads 6, 6

fastened to the inner and outer shells. At the top of the chamber or turret 2 a lookout or conning tower 7 is formed, and same is provided with the usual windows 8, 8 in the inner shell, which aline with the windows f 9,- 9 in the outer shell. The'lookout or conning tower 7 is provided with the usual hatch 7a. The bottom ofthe chamber 2 terminates' in a wedge-like formation, a casting or fra-me member l() being employed, in this f instance, to hold the shells 3 and 4 together. The frame member 10 is designed, at its lower perimeter. or bottom edge, to enter a retaining groove 11, which is rigidlyattached to the hull 1,- and in the bottom of,

-the groove a packing 12, of suitable material, is placed; the bottom edge of the member 10 being also provided with a packing 13, which may be of a tire-like formation, and which abuts the packing 12. An over- 'hanging lip 14 is formed upon the frame 10,

in which a packing 15 is placed, said packv ing abutting the top edge 16 of the socket member 11. The said packings will be forced into contact with each other by the locking device which will be hereinafter explained, so as to provide a watertight connectlon.

Adjacent to the bottom of the chamber 2,

I place a floor 17, in which a hatch 18 is placed, the same being hinged to the floor 17, as at 19, and preferably removable to be out of the 'way when not in use; the hin e forming part of one member 20- of a trip e locking device 21. The member 20 has, at the end opposite to the hinge 19, two radially extendlng arms 21', 22 (see Fig. 4), and to said arms, secondaryarms 23, 24 are hinged, as at 25, the outer ends of said arms being provided with a slot 26, and when kit is desired to fasten said hatch, the slots 26, when said arms 23, 24 are lowered, will embrace a swivel lever 27 (see dotted lines Fig. 4)v which can then be turned as shown by the full lines, Fig, 4, so as to bring. the lever 27 over the arms 23, 24, thus securely fastening same. When the hatch 18 is raised (as in Fig. 1), the arms 23, 24 will be folded back upon the member 20 of the locking device 21, as in Fig. 1.

Upon the hull 1 is a platform 28, which is provided with a hatch 29, which may be opened or closed from the chamber, the outer edge 30 of said platform coperating with the socket 11 in effecting a retainer for the chamber 2.A Various devices may be employed for detachably securing the chamber 2 to the hull of the vessel, and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular means about to be described. In this instance, for detachably securing they safety-chamber 2 to the hull 1, I provide upon the inner face of the shell 3 any desired number of catches 31 (see Fig. 2), the catches being provided with openings 32, as shown in Fig. 3, the

openings having a 'tapered bottom. UponA the platform 28 I rotatably secure latches 33 in s ch a manner as to prevent their displacement; in this instance, a pin 34,-suit ably fastened to the platform 28 and having a head 35, being employed. The latches 33 are provided with tapered ends 36 (Fig. 3) to match the openings 32 in the catches 31. The latches 33 work within recesses 31 in the latform 28. For o erating the latches 33, employ a ring 37, wliich is rotatably Secured to the platform 28 by brackets 38, the ring having an annular Yprojecting lip `39, which passes under the brackets 38, said brackets preventing the ring from coming up and away from the platform, but do not prevent the rotation of the ring. A portion of the-inner surface of the ring 37 is provided with teeth 40, into whicha pinion 41 meshes for the purpose of rotating the ring, to force the en ds 36 of the latches 33 into the catches 31, or to draw them out in order to release the safety. chamber 2 from the hull 1.

. In order that the safety-chamber 2 cannot be released from the hull 1 until the hatch 29 is closed, I provide a special means, which is controlled by the movement of said hatch 29. Said means com rises a slidable block,

42, having teeth 43, in the end thereof, for fitting the teeth of the pinion 41. Said block is fitted to guides 44 carried by the platform 28, and is of a well-known construction. The hinges 45. of the hatch 29, in this instance, are carried by the guides 44. Connecting the block 42 with the hatch 29 is a rod 45". When the hatch 29 is closed, the block 42 will Vbe out of mesh with the inion 41, yand consequently said vpinion `canrotated ;Y but when the hatch 29 is raised (asin Fig. 1) the block 42 will engagethe pinion 41, thereby.y reventing rotation. It will thusbe seen :t at rthe safety-chamber 2 cannot be released until the hatch 29 is closed. This will prevent mischievous interference or accident,- as ,the hull 'of the submarine would be flooded iffthe hatch 29 was not closed before the chamber is re` leased. For the purpose of operating lthe pinion 41, I provide. a shaft` 46,Y which is controlled by ahand-wheel 47 from the interior of the chamber-.2.- When the chamber 2 leaves the hull, 'Rie shaft 46 will separate from the pinion 41, by virtue ofthe connection as shown in Fig. 7, which is a socket 48 earned by the shaft '46, said socket litting the squared end 49 of the pinion spindle 50. When the chamber 2 leaves the hull, the shaft 46 will leave the pinion spindle 50, and the pinion 41 will then remain behind with the hull l.

The modified form shown in Fig. 6 shows slots 51 in the ring, in which the end of one lever'` or latch 33 is engaged, operatin lips 51a, 52, being located u on either ,si e.

To assist in towing he safety-chamber, after it has risen to the surface, I provide upon the outer surface thereof what I term grappling rings 8b any suitable number of which may be empl the safety-chamber at -the upper portion thereof with rings 8c, the same being intended for use for insertion of life lilies or the like. I have also provided the safetychamber upon the outer surface thereof with a foot-rest 8, running around the upper surface of the shell 4. To this foot-rest, at

suitable points, are attached oar-locks- 8"' (Fig. 8)', the foot-rest being intended for use by the occupants of the chamber when same is afloat.

yso

From the foregoing descrifption, it will be Y obviousv that in the event failure to rise on the part of the submarine, the crew can gather in the safety-chamber 2, close the hatch 29, securely fasten it, likewise the hatch 18, whereu on the pinion 41 and ring 37 m'e'shed therewith can be rotated by means "of the handwlieel 47, thereby brin 'ng the latches 33 out of the catches 31. en this is accomplished, the safety-chamber 2 will float to the surface, the line of submergence being indicated by (Fig. 1). Of course, as a safeguard, it will be lunderstood. that suitablemeans for supplying air 'to the ocupants of the safety-chamber may be provi e It will beobvious that manyof the details of construction hereinabove described and shown in the drawings, may be varied without departing from the sirit of my invention, and it willl be understood that the safety-chamber may be of elliptical or other. .A

form instead of the form shown in the draw in arious methods of connection between ,the ends of the latches 33 and the rin 3';

may be employed. For instance, the en the latch 33 is provided with a pin 33 which engiges elongated slots 37 in the ring 37. aving now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A submarine vessel having u onA the outer surface of the hull a detac ab ev buoyant safety-chamber, said chamber comprising aninnrand outer shell, the space'be tween said lshells being dividediito watertight com artments, a hatch through which said cham rcan be entered from the interior .of the hull, means for closing said hatch at will, and means, operable from within said chamber, for releasing said chamberfrom said hull.

2. A submarine vessel having upon the outer surface of the hull a detachable buoyant safety-chamber, said chamber comprising an inner and outer shell, the space between said shells being divided into watertight compartments, a iioor withinl said safety-chamber, a closable hatch in said floor,

be entered, movable latches mounted upon said hull for engaging catches carried by said chamber, and a manually operable device within said chamber for operating said lathe's to release said chamber from said hu 4. A submarine vessel having upon the outer surface of the hull a detachable buoyant safety-chamber, said chamber comprising an inner and outer shell, the space betweensaid shells being divided into watertight compartments, catches carried by said chamber, latches movably mounted upon said hull for engaging said catches, and a manually operable means within said chamber for operating said latches to release said chamber from the hull.

5. A submarine vessel having upon the outer surface of the hull a detachably secured buoyant safety-chamber, means interosed between said hull and said chamber or 'making the connection watertight, catches carried by said chamber, movable latches mounted upon said hull for engaging said catches, a gear rotatably mounted safety chamber detachably secured upon said hull for operating said latches,a pinion carried by said chamber for operatlngsaid gear, and means for operating said pinion.

6. A submarine vessel having a socket upon the outer surface of the hull, a in the bottom of said socket, a uoyant within said socket, the bottom of said chamber being fitted with a packing for contacting the packin in said socket, catches carried by said sa sty-chamber, movable latches mounted upon said hull for enga 'ng said catches, a gear carried by said hull or operating said latches, means for operating said pinion from within the chamber.

7. A submarine vessel having a 'detachably 'connected buoyant safety-chamberupon the outer portion of the hull, means for keeping the connection between said hull and thel a pinion for operating said gear, and' acking y safety-chamber watertight, a fioor in said chamber, a hatch in vsaid floor, latches upon said hull for engaging catches carried by said chamber, a gear for operating said latches, a pinion for operating said gear, a hatch in said hull in alinement with the hatch in the floor of said chamber, means controlled by the movement of the hatch in the hull for preventing movement of the said pinion until said last-named hatch is closed.

8. A submarine vessel having a detachably connected buoyant safety-chamber upon the outer portion of the hull, means for keeping the connection between said hull and the 'safety' chamber watertight, said chamber comprising an inner and outer shell divided into watertight compartments `by partitions or bulkheads, and means within the safetychamber for releasing said safety-chamber from the hull at will.

. ANTHONY J. GRIFFIN. Witnesses:

HASKEL ACoRENlHAL, DAVID EJLAU. 

